Animals in Research
Maintaining humane animal care in research and teaching is a dynamic endeavor and requires conscientious adherence to animal welfare regulations. Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) follows the regulations and guidelines of the Animal Welfare Act and the Public Health Service Policy.
All research involving the use of animals must be reviewed and approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) before the research can begin. The IACUC has responsibility for assuring that the research, teaching and testing programs involving animals at CMU provide for animal welfare and comply with regulations. To fulfill this responsibility, the IACUC reviews all animal research and testing procedures. No animal experimentation or use is permitted at Carnegie Mellon University without written approval by the IACUC. This requires all animal users at CMU to submit an application for IACUC review.
Investigators performing animal research, teaching, and testing will need to download an “Application for Approval to Use Vertebrate Animals in research and Teaching." Applications are renewed annually. Second and third year renewals can use the abbreviated application. Protocols extending past the third year must be reviewed as a new protocol. All protocols must show the results of a literature search to ensure appropriate animal model and numbers.
Application for IACUC review
Animal Care and Use Web Sites
Animal Care Regulations
Health Research Extension Act of 1985
Training and Safety
In accordance with federal, state, and institutional regulations and policies, all persons using animals at Carnegie Mellon University must complete training before they are eligible to work with animals. Neither IACUC approvals nor authorizations to animal areas will be granted until certification of training is on file. All personnel working with animals must complete the proper training prior to their first contact with the animals.
Training is composed of the online training and specific laboratory training to be provided and documented by individual laboratories. The Online training is access by the links below. Use the training designed for your level of responsibility.
Principal Investigator = Senior Scientist in charge of an animal research project
Animal User = Working with animals under the direction of a senior scientist (Co-Investigator)
- Initial Course (Animal User Training Page 1)
- Refresher Course (Animal User Training Page 1)
For individual laboratory training, contact the laboratory manager or responsible faculty. Submit documentation of training provided by the laboratory manager with your IACUC application.
CMU IACUC Manual and other Animal Care Reading Material
- Manual (CMU IACUC Handbook.doc)
- The Ethics of Research Involving Animals (The Ethics of Research Involving Animals.pdf)
- What Investigators Need to Know About the Use of Animals (Investigators need to know.pdf)
- Mouse Surveillance - Standard Operating Procedure (mouse Surveillance SOP.pdf)
- Mouse Quarantine - Standard Operating Procedure (mouse quarantine SOP.pdf)
Animal Ordering
- Approved Animal Vendors (animal vendor list.xls)
- Animal Order Form (animal order form.pdf)
- Animal Order Process (animal order process.doc)
